Furnace.



No. 804,883. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905. W. B. RUGGLES.

FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6. 1901.

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No. 804,883. I v PATBNTED NOV. 21, 1905. w. B. RUGGLES.

FURNAGB.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1901.

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UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. RUGGLES, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO RUGGLES-COLESENGINEERING COMPANY.

FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed September 6, 1901. Serial No. 74,549.

1'0 ctl whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. RUceLEs,residing at Bayonne, in' thecounty of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Furnaces, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to the construction of a machine which may be usedfor drying or carbonizing different substances and in various otherways; and its object is to provide a new and improved construction inmachines of this class which shall be strong, durable, and efiicient inobtaining the desired results.

Further objects and advantages of my construction will hereinafterappear, and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined inthe claims at the end of this specification.

My invention is clearly illustratedin the accompanying drawings, which,with the reference characters marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machineconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view partly-in verticalsection on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and partly in elevation. Fig. 4: is atransverse section on line 4: 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an elevation,partly broken away, of the hopper and scraping-bar. Fig. 6 is a sectionon line as w of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a transverse section showing thelap-joint between the dome-sections.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveralviews.

The exterior framework (4, of brick, masonry, or other suitablematerial, is lined at points where it is subjected to the action of theheat with fire-brick b. Theframework is substantially circular in crosssection, as shown, and the refractory lining is circular save at pointswhere it is extended from a circular line to embrace thedischarge-stack, 8:0. Supported in an antifriction step-bearing 5 withsuitable packing devices 6 in the center of said framework is a verticalshaft 7, carrying at its upper end a gear 8, through which it is adaptedto be revolved from the gear 9 upon the horizontal shaft 10, whichcarries a pulley 11, driven from any suitable source of power. Boxes12,carried by I-beams 13 13, extending across the top of the machine andresting upon the framework at their ends, furnish bearings for suchshaft. The upper end of shaft 7 has a bearing in the long collar orsleeve 14, which has side bosses 15 15, resting upon the I-beams.Surrounding said central shaft is a flue which leads air from the top ofthe machine beneath the grates 16, which form the fire-bed of thefurnace, situated in the lower part of the machine, by which aregenerated the gases and various products of combustion which act uponthe material to be dried or carbonized. This material is exposed to theaction of the gases in a hearth which is revolved above said grates, aswill be hereinafter more fully described. The flue surrounding thecentral shaft is made up in sections and comprises an upper tube 17,supported from the I-beams in any desired way, a central section thewalls of which are formed by flanges of the hearth, and a lower,

section 18, of tile or fire-brick, adjacent to the grates. This lowersection of tile is supported upon the ring 19, which is carried by rodsor posts 20, placed at intervals about the lower ends'of the verticalshaft, so as to leave free passage for air from the said lower sectionof the flue to the under side of the grates. These grates are supportedat their outer ends upon an inwardly-projecting part of the outerframework, as shown, and at their inner ends by a rib or annular flange22, projecting from the ring 19. Sockets for the lower ends of posts 20are provided in the ring 23. A horizontally-disposed hearth 24, which isto carry the material to be treated, is supported by the shaft 7 andrevolves there-' with through a set-screw connection or otherwise. Thishearth may have a peripheral flange, as shown, or may be of any otherdesired form, the peripheral flange not being essential. The diameter ofsaid hearth to secure the best results should be approximately the innerdiameter of the surrounding casing or shell, leaving just enough roomfor clearance, so that the periphery 'of the hearth may fit closely upto the fire-brick throughout the greater portion of its extent. Thehearth comprises a central hub 25, surrounding and connected to theshaft 7, and radial ribs 26 26, connecting such hub to the main body ofthe hearth. Upwardly and downwardly exthrough the continuous passage ofcool air,

and thereby prevent the breaking down of the shaft and the injuriousetfect due to the great heat to which it would otherwise be subjected,and which is thus borne by the outer walls of the flue. I thus at thesame time provide a means for cooling the central shaft and aconveniently-located and effective draftflue for the fire.

On one side of the grate the fire-brick is built up in the form of avertical circular wall 29, producing a fire-wall which separates thefire-bed at this point from the adjacent parts. This fire-wall may beincreased in thickness, if desired, and it will of course be understoodthat the proportions of various parts shown are not obligatory.

The dome or head of the machine is formed of wedge-shaped sections oftiling 30, resting with their one ends upon projections from the upperend of the casing, as at 31 31. and with their other ends upon arib orflange 32, encircling the tube 17 These wedge-shaped sections are shownas curved upward, thereby providing a dome, properly so called; but theymay be of any desired form, such as will provide a tight head for themachine. The different sections are lap-jointed, except at certainplaces, as will be hereinafter described. In Fig. 1 these lap-joints areindicated by dotted lines. A hopper 33 passes down through the dome inposition to discharge into the hearth 24, and the dome-sections on eachside thereof have smooth sides, so as to fit flush up against the flatsides 34 35 of said hopper. By this construction I provide a sectionalhead for the machine, the lap-joints of which render it substantiallygas-tight. In assembling the various parts may be laid together and thetwo sections 0 (Z adjacent to the hopper slipped in last, wherebytightness of joints at all places will be secured and at the same time adevice provided which may be readily assembled and as readily taken topieces for the purpose of inspection of the interior of the machine,renewal of parts, &c. It should be noted that the rib or flange 32 isnot essential for supporting the inner ends of dome-section 30. Suchsections are so shaped as to form an arch which will support the domeeven against the smooth sides of the tube 17 The hopper or chute 33 atits inner end fits closely up to the tube 17 and at the outer end isbuilt into the fire-brick. casing, as at 36.

This construction is shown in Fig. 4. Thus the hopper forms asubstantially tight partition across one radius of the hearth, extendingfrom the surface of said hearth up through the dome. The hopper, whichis shown in de tail in Figs. 5 and 6, has a feed-opening 37 on one side,the extent of which can be varied by the sliding gate 38, which iscontrolled by the screw-threaded rods 39 39, passing throughinternally-screw-threaded lugs 40 in thesliding gate, and guiding-lugs41 in the upper end of the hopper and having hand-wheels 42 at theirends. On the other side of said hopper a scraping-bar 43 is pivoted onthe rod 44, which rod is mounted in suitable lugs attached to thehopper. A set-screw 45, projecting from the hopper underneath thescraping-bar, may be used to adjust the position of this bar. As notedabove, the surrounding casing or shell of fire-brick through the majorportion of its extent surrounds closely the hearth, leaving just roomenough between for clearance. At one side of the hopper, however, anopening 46 is left for the passage of products of combustion, heatedgases, &c., from the firebed beneath to the upper side of the hearth,and likewise a passage through which material which has been removedfrom the hearth by the action of the scraping-bar 43 as said hearthrevolves may be discharged to a screw conveyer 47, placed in suitableposition to catch the material thrown out by the scrapingbar. It will beobvious that instead of this screw conveyer an endless belt may be usedto remove the material, or it may be allowed to drop down and accumulateand be removed in any desired way. On the other side of the hopper thefire-brick extends outward away from the hearth, providing a passage 48to the lower end of the smoke-stack 49. The doors 50 and 51 furnishaccess to the screw conveyer and hearth, respectively. The doors 51furnish access to the fire-grates.

Motion is communicated to the screw conveyer by the sprocket-Wheel 52 onthe end of this shaft and a chain 53 passing over the sprocket-wheel 54on the end of shaft 10.

The mode of operation of my invention will now be apparent. The materialis fed into the hopper, whence it passes in a continuous stream to therevolving hearth and is carried around in the direction of thearrow-head shown on Fig. 4 until it reaches the scrapingbar, by which itis removed to the screw conveyer, whence it is delivered to any suitablepoint. The action is continuous throughout, it only being necessary torefill the hopper at intervals. A fire having been kindled on thefire-bed, the products of combustion, heated gases, &c., pass up throughthe opening 46 to the upper side of the hearth, and as the hop-'- performs a partition extending entirely across the hearth and up to thedomeadja-' cent to the mouth of said opening the gases are deflected therebyand pass around the hearth in the reverse direction of its rotationfinally passing out through the smoke-stack. In such passage around thehearth the heated gases will act upon the material carried by thehearth, the results obtained depending upon the nature of the materialand in some cases upon the nature of the gases generated or used inconnection with such material. A marked advantage of this constructionis that the heated gases when hottest act upon the bottom of the hearthand through the same and when partially cooled pass directly over and incontact with the material to be carbonized, thus equalizing thetemperature to which the upper and lower sides of the material areexposed. Another advantageous feature lies in the fact that the materialis moved in a direction contrary to the direction of movement of theheated gases and is thus exposed to a greater volume'of the same in agiven time. It will be obvious that instead of using the furnaceconstruction shown to generate heated gases for acting upon the materialsuch gases might be conveyed to the machine from an exterior pointthrough pipes or otherwise and that various changes can be made'indetails in the embodiments of my invention without departing from thescope thereof. Certain features of my invention might be embodied inmachines of different classes than those herein mentioned, their use notbeing limited to the precise combinations described.

My invention in whole or in part may be used, moreover, for avariety ofpurposes, such as drying sand, grain, or cement, carbonizing tank-offal,chemical-containing dregs and the like, for any of the various uses towhich a roasting, oxidizing, or calcining furnace may be put, and forsuch other purposes as its construction, Whether with slightmodifications or not, adapts it. I am not limited to any particular use,as the range of utility of such a device is wide.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a verticalshaft, means for rotating said shaft, a hearth carried with the shaft, agrate situated beneath said hearth, and afiue surrounding the shaftarranged to conduct air from the top of the machine to a suitable pointbelow the grate.

'2. In a drying or carbonizing furnace in combination, a verticalrevoluble shaft carrying a hearth for the reception of the material tobe acted on, fire-grates situated beneath said hearth, and a fluesurrounding said shaftopening beneath said grates whereby the shaft iskept cool by the inflow of air to supply a draft for the fires.

3. In combination, the shaft 7 the sectional such shaft and havingflanges 27 and 28 forming the central section of said flue, and asuitable fire-bed situated beneath said hearth adjacent to andcommunicating with the lower end of said flue.

4:. In combination, a casing or shell of refractory material, a centralvertical shaft revolubly supported within such casing, a hearth carriedwith such shaft, a grate beneath such hearth and a flue in connectionwith said shaft for conducting air beneath such grate such that theshaft is kept cool by the passage of the air.

5. In combination, a shaft, a receptacle thereon, a fire-bed situatedadjacent to such shaft in position to supply heat or heated gases tomaterial carried in said receptacle, and a flue for supplying a draftfor the fire-bed, which flue surrounds such shaft whereby said shaft isprotected from the heat by the passage of the air therearound.

6. In a machine of the class described, a casing or shell of refractorymatefial, a shaft revolubly supported within such casing, a hearthcarried with such shaft, a fire-bed beneath such hearth, theconstruction and arrangement being such that an inclosed space isprovided above said hearth except at points where openings are left forthe passage of products of combustion from the fire-bed to the upperside of said hearth and for the discharge of such products.

7. In combination, a casing or shell of refractory material, a shaftrevolubl y supported within such casing, a hearth carried with suchshaft and having its periphery in substantially close proximity to saidcasing except at a point where a passage is left between the two wherebyheated air or gases supplied from below may be led to the upper surfaceof said hearth, a stack for the discharge of such gases adjacent to saidpassage, and a deflector between such passage and stack, whereby thestream of heated gases striking such deflector may be caused to flowaround the hearth acting upon the material carried thereon and may befinall y discharged through the stack.

8. In combination, asuitable casing or shell, a shaft supported therein,a hearth wholly supported by such shaft, the construction andarrangement being such that the space above the hearth is inclosed bythe-casing, save atapoint at which an opening is provided for theadmission of heated air or gases, a second opening at which such gasesmay be discharged, and a deflector situated adjacent to thefirstmentioned opening and between it and the second opening.

9. In combination, a suitable casing or shell, a shaft supportedtherein, a hearth supported by such shaft,said casing providing aninclosed space above such hearth except at points where heated gases maybe introduced above said hearth and be discharged therefrom, and ahopper for conveying material to said hearth, said hopper being situatedbetween said introduction and discharge points and extending throughsaid casing with its lower end terminating adjacent said hearth.

10. In a roasting or drying furnace, a casing,

gases from said opening are caused to travel substantially the entirearea of the hearth before being discharged through the stack.

11. In combination, a suitable casing or shell, a shaft supportedtherein, a hearth carried by such shaft, said casing providing aninclosed space above said hearth except at adjacent points at whichheated gases may be introduced above said hearth and be dischargedtherefrom, and a hopper for conveying material to be treated to saidhearth situated between said introduction and discharge points, andextending across said inclosed space between the supporting-shaft andthe casing, whereby said hopper acts also as a deflector causing thegases entering at the one point to travel substantially the entire areaof the hearth before discharging at the other point.

12. In combination, a suitable casing or shell,a central shaft supportedrevolubly therein, a hearth carried by such shaft of a diametersubstantially equal to the diameter of the casing, but such that it isrevoluble therein, said casing being provided witha passage-way wherebyheated gases may be supplied to the upper side of said hearth, saidcasing being also provided with an opening adjacent to said passage-wayfor the discharge of said gases, a hopper situated between saidpassage-way and said opening and acting also as a deflector for thegases entering said passage-way, and a scraping-bar attached to saidhopper for removing the material from said hearth.

13. In combination, with a revolubly-supported hearth, a hopperdischarging into said hearth, and a scraping-bar attached to said hopperand resting on the surface of the hearth.

14. In combination, the hopper 33, having discharge-outlet 37, and thescraping-bar 43, connected to said hopper said discharge-outlet andscraping-bar being on opposite sides of said hopper.

15. In combination, the hopper 33, having discharge-outlet 37, ascraping-bar 4:3 pivoted to said hopper, and set-screw 45, for adjustingthe position of said scraping-bar.

16. Inaroasting or dryingfurnace, an outer casing, a vertical shaftrevolubly supported in said casing, a hearth carried with such shaft,said casing providing an inclosed space above said hearth save at pointsthrough which heated gases may pass to the upper surface of said hearthand be discharged therefrom, a deflector arranged between said pointswhereby gases entering at the one point are caused to travelsubstantially the entire area of the hearth before being dischargedthrough the other, means for feeding material to beacted upon to thehearth, and means for removing it therefrom.

17. In a roasting or drying furnace, an outer casing a vertical shaftrevolubly supported in said casing, a hearth carried with such shaft,said casing providing an inclosed space above said hearth save at pointsthrough which heated gases may pass to the upper surface of said hearthand be discharged therefrom, a deflector arranged between said pointswhereby gases entering at the one point are caused to travelsubstantially the entire area of the hearth before being dischargedthrough the other, means for feeding the material to be acted upon tothe hearth, and means for removing'it therefrom in a continuous stream.

18. In a roasting or drying furnace, an outer casing, a vertical shaftrevolubly supported in said casing, a dome surrounding said shaftinclosing the upper end of said casing, a hearth carried with suchshaft, a fire-bed beneath said hearth, an opening in the side of' saidcasing through which products of combustion may pass to the uppersurface of said hearth, a stack for discharging such products ofcombustion located adjacent to such opening, a hopper for conveyingmaterial to said hearth located between said opening and saiddischarge-stack, a scraping-bar for removing the material from saidhearth, and a continuous conveyer in position to receive the materialfrom the scraping-bar.

19. In a device of the class described, acylindrical shell 6, a centralshaft 7, a hearth 24 carried by such shaft, a dome composed of sections30 3O fitted together with lap-joints, a hopper 33, passing through saiddome, and the dome members 0, d, on each side of said hopper havingtheir sides flush therewith.

20. In a device of the class described, in combination with a suitablecasing, a central member supported within said casing, and provided withan outwardly-projecting annular flange, and a dome for closing the topof said casing, said dome being composed of sections supported at oneend from said casing, and at the other end upon said flange,substantially as and for the purposes described.

21. In combination, a driving member, a source of heat, a hearth, ahopper, continuously-acting means actuated by said driving memberwhereby material will be transferred from said hopper to said hearth andexposed to the action of said source of heat, and

means for removing said material from said hearth.

22. In combination, a driving member, a furnace having a source of heat,a hearth and a hopper therein, continuously-acting means actuated bysaid driving means whereby material may be transferred from said hopperto said hearth exposed to the action of said source of heat, meansoperated by said continuously-acting means for removing said materialfrom said hearth, and means for conveying said material from saidfurnace.

23. In combination, a movable hearth, a source of heat adapted to actupon the lower surface thereof, and means whereby a heattransferringmedium may be guided from the lower over the upper surface of saidhearth in a direction contrary to the direction of movement thereof.

24. In combination, a casing, a hearth, a source of heat, and a hopper,said hopper being adapted to supply material to said hearth and guidethe heat emanating from said source.

25. In combination, a casing, a hearth, a source of heat, and a hopper,said hopper being adapted to supply material to said hearth and guidetheheat emanating from said source around said hearth.

26. In combination, a casing, a movable hearth, a source of heat, and ahopper, said hopper being adapted to supply material to said hearth andguide the heat emanating from said source around said hearth in adirection contrary to the direction of movement thereof.

27. In adevice of the class described, a casing, a hearth, and a hopperadapted to feed a layer of material of adjustable depth thereto, saidhopper being adapted to guide a heating medium about said hearth.

28. In a device of the class described, a casing, amovable hearth, andahopper adapted to feed a layer of material of adjustable depth thereto,said hopper being adapted to guide a heating medium aboutsaid hearth ina direction contrary to the direct-ion of movement of said hearth.

29. In combination, a casing or shell of refractory material, a shaftrevolubly supported within such casing, a hearth carried with such shaftand having its periphery in substantially close proximity to saidcasing, a passage between said hearth and said casing whereby heated airor gases supplied from below may be led to the upper surface of saidhearth, a stack for the discharge of such gases adjacent said passage,and a deflector between said passage and stack whereby the stream ofheated gases striking such deflector may be caused to flow around thehearth, acting upon the material carried thereon and may be finallydischarged through the stack.

30. In combination, a suitable casing or shell, a shaft supportedtherein, a hearth wholly supported by said shaft, the construction andarrangement being such that the space above the hearth is inclosed bythe casing, an opening for the admission of heated gases between saidhearth and said casing, a second opening at which such gases may bedischarged, and a deflector situated adjacent the first-mentionedopening and between it and the second opening.

31. In combination, a suitable casing or shell, a shaft supportedtherein, a hearth carried by said shaft, said casing providing aninclosed space above said hearth, adjacent openings leading into saidinclosed space above said hearth at which heated gases may be introducedand be discharged therefrom, and a hopper for conveying material to betreated to said hearth situated between said introduction and dischargeopenings and extending across said inclosed space between thesupporting-shaft and the casing whereby said hopper acts also as adeflector causing the gases entering at the one opening to travelsubstantially the entire area of the hearth before discharging at theother opening. 7

32. In aroastingor drying furnace, an outer casing, a vertical shaftrevolubly supported in said casing, a hearth carried with and whollysupported by said shaft, said casing providing an inclosed space abovesaid hearth, openings leading into said inclosed space through whichheated gases may pass to the upper surface of said hearth and bedischarged therefrom, a deflector arranged between said openings wherebygases entering at the one opening are caused to travel substantially theentire area of the hearth before being discharged through the other,means for feeding material to be acted upon to the hearth, and means forremoving it therefrom.

33. In a roasting or drying furnace, an outer casing, a vertical shaftrevolubly supported in said casing,a hearth carried with and whollysupported by said shaft, said casing providing an inclosed space abovesaid hearth, open- 7 ings leading into said inclosed space through whichheated gases may pass to the upper surface of said hearth and bedischarged therefrom, a deflector arranged between said openings wherebygases entering at the one opening are caused to travel substantially theentire area of the hearth before being discharged through the other,means for feeding the material to be acted upon to the hearth, and meansfor removing it therefrom in a continuous stream.

34. In combination, a casing, a hearth, and a hopper adapted to supplymaterial to said hearth and guide a heating medium over the surfacethereof.

In testimony whereof I afflX my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM B. RUGGLES. Witnesses:

H. M. SEAMANS, I.V. SooTT.

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